Goodbye?
by special agent Ali
Summary: Okay so we got long wait till season 9 so I am writing to pass the time. We all know Lily can't keep a secret so this is how I think Barney and Robin find out Ted's newest secret. If you haven't seen S8 finale you may not understand this. I won't spoil it here either but yeah watch finale please.
1. Chapter 1

She tried to ignore it, really she did. But after twenty minutes of watching her best friend fidget she couldn't stand it anymore.

Robin turned to Lily and grabbed both shoulders. "That's it Lily, just tell me whatever secret you have that you want to blab already" she instructed.

To her shock Lily shook her head. "I have to keep this one…he'll hate me if I don't…least he'll hate me even more" she mumbled.

"He? Are you talking about Ted?" Robin guessed. Lily nodded and bit her lip.

"This is huge isn't it?" Robin asked. Again Lily nodded still biting her lip.

"I doubt Ted will hate you" Robin pleaded. This time Lily shook her head frantically.

"He already does Robin…" Lily insisted. She sat down and nervously played with her bridesmaid dress. "I already left him stranded once seven years ago…now I'm taking Marshall and Marvin with me this time…" she said.

Robin sat next to Lily and rubbed her back. "Oh come on Lil…this is Ted we're talking about…he loves you" she said.

Lily just shrugged. "I know…I…I wish I could help him…I feel what he's about to do is a mistake…"

"Then tell me the secret…I'm his friend too" Robin prompted.

Lily turned to her. "No Robin…I'm his friend and always been just a friend to Ted" she told her.

"That…" Robin said and stopped. Her eyes widened. "Ted is moving out of New York isn't he?" she asked.

Lily nodded solemnly. "You can't tell him you know though…Ted wants you and Barney to be together and be happy…he just thinks it'll be easier if he isn't around to watch you be happy with him" she told her.

Robin shook her head. "Sorry Lily but…I can't hold that promise…I may be marrying Barney but…I still care for Ted…he can't just walk out of my life like this" she stammered.

Lily grabbed her arm. "Fine…but wait till after you're married…no need to screw up the wedding…Ted wants you to be married and happy"

"Does he? He keeps pretending Lily…I wish he'd stop being in love with me and find a woman who does love him…he's like a brother to me…and I think I known that for a long time" Robin told her.

Lily nodded. "Yeah…I had a feeling…but come on…we'll talk it all out after the wedding" she promised. Robin nodded and pulled herself together.

When the wedding began she actually did forget Ted and his problems for a moment. All her focus was on Barney and how much she loved him. Soon she was married and she saw Ted walking out.

She then ran out and all the way to him.

"You can't leave New York Ted!" she shouted. Lily followed behind Robin and gave Ted an apologetic look.

Ted turned and she grabbed his hands. "You're not leaving Ted Mosby…you're my best friend" she told him firmly.

Ted shook his head. "It's already done Robin…my stuff is on the way to my new place and I sold the house I bought…I don't belong in New York anymore" he told her.

"Is…is this really because of me?" Robin asked and a single tear fell.

Ted shrugged. "I don't know anymore…all I know is I am tired of waiting for someone to love me and watching everyone I know move on and be happy…its too hard and I'm too tired of it all" he said.

"Oh Ted…" Robin whispered. Ted hugged her gently. "Don't cry for me Robin…I want you to be happy with Barney…your married now and I know you love him and he loves you and I am so happy for you both" he whispered to her.

"Ted…" Barney stammered and Ted broke away from Robin. "Ted…I thought…I wouldn't have…" Barney stammered.

Ted only patted his shoulder. "It's okay Barney…I do want you and Robin to be together…I just….I just can't stay in New York and watch…" he told him.

Barney patted Ted's back shoulder. "Thanks Ted…for…for bringing us together but…I think…no…I know…I know your woman is here in New York…you have to let us help you find her" Barney stammered.

Ted shook his head. "I can't play the have you met Ted game anymore Barney…its too painful to keep trying with every girl we meet only to watch her leave me…I been abused mentally and psychically and…I'm done…" he told him.

Ted took Barney's hand and placed it with Robin's. "I really am happy for you two and I hope you enjoy your married life…goodbye guys" he told them.

Then Ted was gone. When he got outside he took off running with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"No! It can't end like this…" Barney muttered angrily. "I know…but how do we stop it?" Robin asked.


	2. Chapter 2

Barney shrugged. "I don't know but you can bet I'll come up with something" he promised.

"Are you sure that's the right thing to do?" Marshall asked.

Barney raised a brow at him. "So what do you suggest Marshall?" he asked sharply.

Marshall only sighed heavily. "I'm not saying this to hurt you pal but…I suggest you do nothing…leave him be for a while" he answered.

Barney turned away from him angrily and stormed off to the car waiting.

Robin followed and he held her tightly. Lily, Marshall and Marvin followed the two.

"I'm sorry pal" he said.

Barney sighed. "I know…I just don't think I know how to live without him Marshall…its already bad enough you two are leaving" he answered.

"Why does everyone have to keep leaving me?" he muttered.

"Hey, I'm still here" Robin protested. Barney smiled at that and kissed her cheek.

"I know, sorry baby" he cooed. She smiled back. "It's okay…I will miss you all too…why did our little group have to end?"

"Well…I think we all knew it had to end eventually…I mean…you can only pretend you're a kid for so long…eventually you do have to grow up and accept changes" Marshall commented.

"Least we have some great memories, you all laughed at my little picture book too" Lily added and got a chuckle out of everyone.

"So we just do nothing? Robin and I should just start our new lives all alone now?" Barney asked.

"We didn't say it's forever Barney" Lily replied. "The five of us have been a group nine years now and we've drifted apart quite a lot but…we always seemed to drift back and sit in that little booth in MaClarans" she added.

Robin nodded. "She's right Barney, Ted will come around" she told him.

Barney nodded to her. "Okay then…" he agreed reluctantly. Of course they all knew it wasn't set in stone.

"Just be careful Barney" Lily warned him.

"Hey, I agreed with you all" he said defensively. Lily snorted. "Okay, whatever you say Stinson" she replied.

Barney just shrugged. "Hey, I do want my best friends to be happy" he replied.

"Speaking of happiness, we should get moving" Marshall supplied.

"Meet at MaClarans?" Robin asked.

"If you want to, we do leave early tomorrow morning" Lily answered.

"I'll miss you" Robin answered and hugged Lily tightly. She then lifted Marvin from Marshall and hugged him.

"I'll even miss this bundle of joy, he's first little baby boy I couldn't hate" she told the boy.

Lily chuckled softly. "It's kind of hard too isn't it?" she agreed and kissed his head.

"Come on guys, lets continue this at MaClarans" Marshall urged.

He took back his son and left Robin and Barney to get a cab. They met twenty minutes later and someone was sitting alone in their booth.

"I thought you left for your new home" Robin commented. The man shrugged.

"Plane doesn't leave for five more hours and I didn't feel like sitting in the airport" he answered.

"So you just sit with us a few hours and then leave forever?" Robin asks him and he can hear the pain and anger in her voice.

"I don't know about forever Robin but…I need this…it's obvious my soul mate isn't here in NY so…I have to look somewhere new" he replies.

She folds her arms and he scoots out of the booth. "Maybe I should just go to the airport now…it looks like I don't have any friends anymore" he says.

Robin rolls her eyes and grabs his wrist. "I think we been through a little too much to call it quits now Mosby" she tells him.

Ted chuckles and smiles back. She then puts her arms around him and Ted gently hugs her back.

"Group hug!" Lily cries and Ted laughs again but breaks his hug with Robin and grabs her.

Marshall and Barney join in and the five uncaringly hug in their favorite bar next to their favorite booth one last time.

They breaks a few minutes later and Ted offers to buy the first set of beers.

"I'll help" Marshall offers and follows him.

"So end of an era huh?" he comments to Ted as Carl gives them the beers.

"For now…less you really are throwing me to the triangle" Ted replies.

"Never pal" Marshall responds and gently claps his shoulder. Ted smiles at that happily. "Good…me either…have fun in Italy"

"You too with your journey Teddy Westside…just make sure you come back to us in a year"

"I will" Ted promises.

Inside though he has a lot of doubts he can't seem to shake. What if it was the end? How do you really know you'll remain friends with someone forever? It always sounds good when you say it aloud but…can the crazy little group last forever?


	3. Chapter 3

_**Sorry for slow update. I fell asleep at seven thirty though and woke at one-thirty. Now I'm wide awake and in mood to type. This is my first time writing like this. It's basically all five's point of views in a new style. I just simply jump character to character. **_

_**Not much chat here. Least not spoken aloud. I wish I could have a conversation just in my head with my friends. Would make life so much easier. **_

Since it was their last moments in the booth Robin made both her boys sit beside her in the booth. She remembered the last time they sat like this was the night Ted got beaten up by his ex Natalie and she fell off a coach buggy into a pile of horse poop.

She wishes it was that night again. She'd take on an even smellier disgusting pile of poop if she could keep her friends around.

But that wasn't how life worked. So she took Barney's and Ted's hands in hers and gripped them tightly.

Ted could feel the tension in her hands. He wanted to pull away from her but couldn't find the strength. He sighed to himself instead and squeezed back gently as he turned to look into her pretty eyes.

She smiled at him and he knew he had to leave soon. Victoria was right and he knew it. But Ted also remembered St. Patty's day and couldn't face a bigger tongue lashing for kissing another married woman.

Ted turned his head slightly and looked at Marshall. The man behind the first tongue lashing. Marshall held his gaze and instantly knew how his best friend felt.

'Just hold on a little longer pal, she's your friend and you know that's all you ever can be' Marshall thought.

'Yeah I know, now I just wish I had left to airport instead' Ted thought back.

'Sorry Ted, I wish there was someway we could help' Lily cut in. Ted slightly shook his head as he looked to her.

'No Lil, you two have done enough for me for over a decade now. I know our friendships will be okay but I have to stand on my own two feet and help myself now'

Lily smiled gently. Her boy had grown up before her eyes. She knew she was only a few months older but she often felt like she was years instead.

Maybe that was why she was a good mom. She already had enough practice pretending Ted was her baby. She loved Ted needed her advice and that their crazy friendship lasted all this time.

'Promise you'll stay in touch at least. I don't care how much the calls cost our friendship is more important' She told him.

That made Ted smile back. 'Thanks Lily, I think I just needed to hear you two still wanted me'

"Okay what the heck are you three talking about and why can't Robin and I cut in?" Barney asked getting annoyed.

Somehow the three had blocked the new married couple from butting into their conversation.

"Sorry Barney" Ted replied. "I guess I am just scared and they were comforting me" he added.

Barney huffed and folded his arms. "Of course you are. How can I forget Marshall and Lily mean the most to you" he mumbled.

"What are you talking about?" Ted asked.

"Don't play dumb Mosby, you never were afraid I'd throw you to that triangle of yours!" Barney hissed at him.

"You told him?" Ted asked Lily who shrugged. "I told Robin because I was afraid for you" she answered.

"I then told Barney who was listening to us" Robin added.

Barney only huffed again. "I guess that's the thanks I guess for being such a great wingman and bro to you all these years" he muttered.

"You kinda forced your way in dude" Ted replied. He regretted it as Barney looked at him.

"Fine then! Sorry for caring Ted, I won't make that mistake again!" he huffed and stormed off.

He couldn't believe Ted was being such a jerk again. He stopped by the door and looked at his friends. Robin had stood to follow and Ted grabbed her wrist.

"Come on Robin! I am leaving soon and you'll see him everyday now!"

"No one is forcing you to leave Ted!" She hissed at him and pulled away from him. She then slammed her hands on the table and leaned over him with a dangerous look in her eyes. "Just like no one told you to be such a jerk!" she added.

She stormed off and Ted jumped out of the booth and grabbed her wrist again.

When she turned around he had tears in his eyes. The sadness overcame her anger and she sighed.

"I'm sorry Ted but you can't conjure another rain dance and stop me from leaving again. We had our moment and…it just didn't work" she told him.

"I know…I'm sorry Robin" he replied weakly.

He then sighed again and took her hand. He led her to Barney who was still watching from the door.

"I'm sorry bro" he told Barney. He then grabbed both their hands and put them together.

"You two do look good together, enjoy your lives" he said and walked out of the bar.

"Ted! Please don't go!" Barney screamed as he followed still holding Robin's hand.

"Sorry bro but I have to do this" Ted answered. A tear fell from his eyes and ran down his cheek to the floor. "It's not fair you and Marshall found your soul mates and I'm not even a step closer to mine!" He screamed.

"Then let me help…"

"No! You're married now Barney! The four of you need to live a life without me for right now…goodbye guys" Ted yelled and waved at a cab driving by.

He climbed into the backseat and the four friends watched the cab take their friend away.

"Now what?" Barney asked.

"We should just do what he says Barney. Lily and I go to Italy and you two go on your honeymoon"

"What about Ted?" Robin asked.

"He's a grown man Robin, he'll be fine" Lily told her.

Robin nodded understanding the tone. She couldn't keep hurting Ted and until he found his soul mate she couldn't be anywhere near him.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hi all. Thanks for the support for this crazy story. So I decided to speed it up the year like the show would and have Ted retell his story in a flashback. **_

Robin sat up and smiled as she turned off the alarm clock. The day finally arrived.

She shook Barney who mumbled at her. "Oh get up Barney, Marshall and Lily's plane arrive in an hour and we promised we'd get them" she told him.

That alerted the man and he sat up. "Wow, it's already time?" he asked and she nodded with a wider smile.

"Yep, now dress already" she told him and the two got out of bed and dressed.

Lily of course burst into tears when she saw them. "Oh I missed you two so much" she said and Robin hugged her.

Marshall smiled at them with little Marvin in his arms. "Aw he's wearing his little suit!" Barney cooed when he saw his godson.

"We did it for you huh pal?" Marshall replied. Marvin cooed and Barney reached out and gently took the toddler.

"Marvin wait for it Erikson you're so cute in your little suit" he cooed and the baby smiled at him.

"It's good to see you again Barney" Marshall told him and Barney looked at him with a smile.

"You too bro" he agreed and they shared a small hug.

"Come on gang, lets get our suitcases and go to MaClarans and celebrate" Lily suggested.

Robin and Barney nodded in agreement. No one voiced what they all thought though. It would be too painful if he didn't appear.

The four arrived at the bar almost an hour later. On their booth were four envelopes addressed to the four.

"It's a wedding invitation" Robin said as she got hers opened first as they sat down.

"Ted's wedding invite…" Barney added.

"Does that mean…?" Lily asked.

The four glanced around quickly and a man chuckled from the bar. "If I say yes will you come to my wedding?" he asked. He turned and the four smiled happily.

"Oh my god Ted!" Marshall cried and jumped out and went to him. Ted stood and gave his best friend a hug.

"Good to see you too pal" he answered.

"So who is the lucky girl?" Lily asked and a woman turned.

"Me, I'm Sarah Evans and I can see why Ted really wanted us to come here, you all seem like great friends" she said.

"Yes we are and you'll love it" Lily said. She took Sarah's hand and she took Ted's and they all moved back to the booth.

Ted sat on a chair outside the booth and Sarah sat in his lap. "So how did you two meet?" Robin asked.

"I met her the night I left on the plane" Ted explained.

"Excuse me, I have to use the bathroom" Barney suddenly said and ran off.

Ted let himself out from under his fiancée and followed.

"You okay bro?" he asked when he walked into the restroom. Barney was standing at the sinks staring at his reflection.

"I wanted to be the one who introduced you to all the hot chicks" Barney murmured with a whiny pitch to his voice.

"But you did pal" Ted told him. He clapped his shoulder. "Sarah was in the band at your wedding and when I was sitting by her on the plane I was too nervous to speak, I closed my eyes and your voice came to me and coached me" he added.

"Really?" Barney asked turning and Ted nodded. "Course bro you are my wingman" he said.

"So you don't really care that I forced myself into the group"

"No, you grew on me, I liked that I had two amazing bro's who had my back" Ted replied.

"Thanks" Barney answered and Ted gave him a hug.

"Now come on bro, lets go catch up on this last amazing year" Ted said and led his friend out.

Sarah was making the three laugh. "Yeah, Teddy boy was a dork for trying to teach the wrong class but you gotta love that about him"

"Hey! It was my first day and I was nervous"

"Yeah, I couldn't tell Ted, you couldn't even spell professor it looked like" Sarah replied.

Ted stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed.

"Like you're perfect Evans, you locked yourself out of the apartment a few times you know"

"Because forgetting my key and looking like a dork in front of a classroom of college kids is same thing" Sarah replied.

"Oh I like her" Barney said and she smiled at him.

"I'm right aren't I Barney? Ted is a much bigger dork than I am" she asked and he nodded.

"Don't you dare start Barney" Ted hissed and the blond laughed. "It's like you just met me bro" he teased and then told Sarah other embarrassing stories.

She laughed but it was clear to the gang she didn't care. She loved Ted and he loved her back. It was finally normal again.


End file.
